Most of us know that Akshay Kumar worked as a waiter before he got his first break and that’s the truth. However, that’s not a complete truth, Akshay Kumar has also worked as a chef, a jewellery salesman, a travel agent, and a martial art teacher, before making it big in Bollywood.

He’s not the only actor to have switched careers to follow his dream. Here’s a list of 7 famous celebrities who changed their professions before becoming household names. 

From Akshay Kumar to Amitabh Bachchan, these 5 Bollywood actors had some of the most unique jobs before becoming famous celebrities: 

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has had quite a few jobs

Nawazuddin Siddiqui studied acting at The National School of Drama (NSD), but only a few know that he worked really hard as a watchman for almost two years, and as a chemist in a petrochemical company to go to this prestigious institution.

Sidharth Malhotra

Sidharth Malhotra worked as an assistant director

He started modelling, and walked the ramp for a number of fashion shows at the age of 18. However, shortly after, he decided to quit modelling and started working as an assistant director. In 2010, he assisted Karan Johar on My Name is Khan.

Jacqueline Fernandez

Jacqueline Fernandez was a TV reporter previously

There is no denying that Jacqueline Fernandez is one of the most talented actors in the industry. The former beauty queen worked as a TV reporter in Sri Lanka before making it big in Bollywood.

Rajnikanth

Rajinikanth worked really hard before he got famous

Owing to his humble background, the south superstar had to work really hard to support himself and his family financially. He can rightly be called a self-made man and worked as a coolie, a bus conductor, and a carpenter before realising his life-long dream of seeing himself on the big screen.

Arshad Warsi

Arshad Warsi started working at 17 to support his family

People know Arshad Warsi for some of his spectacular roles, but the journey wasn’t easy for him. He started working as a door-to-door cosmetics salesman at the age of 17 to support his family. Arshad also worked in a photo lab, and having had an interest in dancing, he soon started his own dance studio. It was here that he met his now wife Maria Goretti. He got an opportunity to choreograph the title track of the iconic movie ‘Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja’ in 1993. ‘Tere Mere Sapne’, another beautiful movie marked the beginning of his acting career. 

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan was rejected at All India Radio

Amitabh Bachchan’s first job was in a shipping firm called Shaw Wallace as an executive. Later on, Big B worked as a freight broker for a shipping firm called Bird and Co in Kolkata. He was rejected when he auditioned for a newsreader’s job at All India Radio, but it helped him to work even more hard and reach where he is now.

Let us know if you want to know about any other actor’s first job!